The next 3 games are winnable, but......

Jan 19, 2017, 11:33 PM

This team is going to have to have a tremendous gut check and get it together.
There were times in the UNC, Notre Dame and UVA games that show that this team is capable, yet, for whatever reason, has not put it together yet to the level that is needed to win tough conference games.

Like last year, the schedule was front loaded....the difference is that we won some tough games early, but couldn't close late in the year when we needed to. This year we are getting smacked by the front loaded schedule, and it ain't pretty. But if we can not completely throw in the towel, there is an opportunity to sneak back towards .500 in ACC play by the end of the season.

Going to divide the rest of the schedule up into 3 game segments.......

Segment # 1- Va. Tech at home....Pittsburgh on the road....GT at home

If we are going to get a win and salvage something, the game at home against VT is a must. We get a break after that game, which may or may not help us. So far, we had ample time to get ready for 2 Thursday road games and completely tanked in both of them. But maybe this team can figure out a way Sunday and then figure some things out next week.

Segment # 2- at FSU, Syracuse, at Duke

After those 3 games, we enter a stretch with road games at FSU, a home game against Syracuse, and a road game at Duke. Let's just say that stretch doesn't look favorable right now. To make matters worse, the Syracuse game is 48ish hours after the FSU game, and typically Brownell's teams have struggled with the short turnarounds like that.
My guess is that we can win the home game, but will lose the other 2.

Segment # 3- Wake, at Miami, at Va. Tech

This is a segment where we need to take 2 out of 3, regardless of how everything else has gone. We have to steal another road game at some point.

Segment # 4- FSU, N.C. State, Boston College

We have to take at least 2 of these. Probably the last 2. If we can somehow still be in the mix at this point, closing with 3 home games is a positive.

Trying not to react too strongly to the mess that was tonight, I think it is reasonable go 2-1 in segment 1....1-2 in segment 2....2-1 in segment 3....and 2-1 in segment 4. If we do that, we'll finish 8-10 in the ACC. Certainly we might fare worse, and one could argue that if this team ever got some traction, that they could get to 9-9.

But right now, things are bleak.

I hope that the team can find a way this Sunday to at least give a glimmer of hope for the remainder of the season.
But if not, we are close to being 0 for January. Ouch.

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things could get pretty dark if we lose to the Hokies at home Sunday.
It's one thing to lose brutally close home games to teams like UNC and UVA, who are better than us, or even to lose road games against ranked opponents or even what seems to be an upstart GT team.
But home games against teams like VT (who is a good team!) must be won. As well as the GT game at home that follows it. This week is pretty crucial for Brownell. We have to be overdue for one of those magical "players only" meetings or something like that.
I still think that this team could dance if they can get to .500 in ACC play, especially if one of those is a signature win against a ranked team (which we would probably have to have). This team actually did well enough in non-conference play to make that a possibility. But it would take a tremendous effort and a lot of guts to do that, along with some faltering of our opponents along the way.
Having to play 4 of the first 6 conference games on the road is tough sledding. We certainly did not pass the test. Maybe getting the next 2 at home will spark something.

The next 3 games are winnable, but......

Re: The next 3 games are winnable, but......

Aye....I wish that it could be better.....

You get drilled like we did tonight

in this tailspin Littlejohn will have a small

The donor section will be empty for sure***

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